Ultra Series
"I ask that you chant my name - Ultraman Z!"
The long running Tsuburaya Productions property has featured in many crossovers with all sorts of media both in Japan and abroad, Ultraman has regularly served as a property adjacent to many of the themes of Super Robot Wars and the expanded universe. Of chief use to us, Ultraman Z presents a giant robots forward profile to base our Ultraman integration of. Like Hardcore Mecha, the best reason to integrate Ultraman came in 2020's Ultraman Z, so it was post-hoc integrated on the merits of the show and the continuing well of potential content through the lifetime of the game. SSSS.GRIDMAN's inclusion in SRW30 clued us in to look at it, too, and at around the same time, SSSS.DYNAZENON provided some more conventional robot action in the Gridman sub-series, making it hard to say no to.
Ultraman Z
Ultraman Z (Zett) follows the exploits of the Special Tactics Operations Regimental Airborne and Ground Equipment (STORAGE) civil defense organization. One of its pilots, Haruki Natsukawa, has bonded with earnest young hero Ultraman Z; the pair fight monsters alongside STORAGE.
We enter Ultraman Z fairly early in its sweep; the SAA-2 Windom has been activated recently.
Shin Ultraman
- The Planet of Light is local to this universe; as a result, while Lipiah is not the first giant of light known to Earth, he is the first one local to this reality, as opposed to traveling from the Land of Light (yes, they're separate things) into our universe.
- As a Japanese/OCU project dealing with multidimensionality and the use of higher and lower elements of reality than the material plane, the S-class Species Suppression Protocol is part of the Grand Glorious Guard's "3G Red" subdivision. While the former Gridman Alliance members are considered the current authorities on reality integrity initiatives and remain in leadership positions, Tatsuhiko Munakata handles a significant portion of daily operations and is considered the likely option for Chief in the event that the Gridman Alliance discontinue the leadership of 3G Red.
- Alien Mefilas is part of the upper management of the UND from Banpresto Originals Super Robot Wars T content, given he has the same plan and the same core aesthetic.
- The Planet of Light has extremely bad blood with the Hyjussians from Brave Series's J-Decker.
- Shinji Kaminaga's "clock" begins ticking basically whenever someone apps him, rather than Lipiah being an established phenomenon already.
Prior Ultra Series
Because Ultraman is an inherently multi-dimensional/multi-universal theme, elements of these shows are integrated into the greater multiverse. Zett is proof that these shows happened sometime, somewhere.
Ultraman Orb Chronicle
- Ultraman Orb and its various offshoots have, for the most part, taken place in other universes distinct from that of the MOO. They have happened, just, elsewhere.
- Gai Kurenai/Ultraman Orb himself, as with most Ultra Warriors, is off defending space from rubber suits across all universes.
- Characters who appeared in Orb Origin and would still be alive (i.e., the Ultramen that appear and Jugglus Juggler) are aware of some facts of the setting that are not publicly known.
Ultraman Geed
- The plot of Ultraman Geed took place in another universe distinct from that of the MOO. Ultraman Geed himself appears in Z, and Z concerns itself with elements of a "post-Ultraman Belial" multiverse; these elements will be handled on a case by case basis.
- As a result of the end of Ultraman Geed (as well as some other content in which Belial appeared), "Devil Splinters" -- shards of Belial's corrupted body -- have been scattered across the multiverse. These cause a variety of problems and may be used for plot purposes.
Other Ultra Series Content
- The concept of Human Ultras -- that is, Ultras who directly control their Ultra alter ego using transformation items and who lack a separate Ultra entity -- may be used in later Phases.
GRIDMAN UNIVERSE
The Gridman subseries of Tsuburaya's giant hero franchise deals with Gridman, a Hyper Agent (a giant of data rather than of light), and his battles in the Computer World. His opponents are typically other creatures of the Hyper World and their minions; these individuals often make a point of preying on loneliness in humans.
We have chosen to start SSSS.GRIDMAN at its second (arguably third; even more arguably, fourth) entry in the sub-franchise. Denkou Choujin Gridman has already happened, and we'd be open to a Takeshi Todo/Gridman Sigma apper using content from the photonovels and Boys Invent Great Hero. The original live-action Denkou Choujin Gridman/Gridman: the Hyper Agent took place 25 years ago, placing the characters from that show as adults; Takeshi's battles in the Gridman Sigma photonovel and Boys Invent Great Hero took place in the early 0090s.
SSSS.DYNAZENON -- a series set in the Gridman universe taking place after SSSS.GRIDMAN, following up on characters from Denkou Choujin and SSSS.GRIDMAN -- has not been integrated at game start; its content is better suited to later Phases. Elements of the setting introduced or clarified in Dynazenon, however, have been accounted for.
SSSS.GRIDMAN
This section memorializes integration decisions about SSSS.GRIDMAN made during Phase 1.
- Gridman arrived in Tsutsujidai fairly recently, and has been split into five parts by Alexis Kerib, whose name is unfortunately not rendered with an interpunct.
- The last time Gridman came around the Earth Sphere, he made the acquaintance of the Shuffle Alliance, and a Gridman applicant would be encouraged to app the character into this faction.
- Alexis Kerib is supplying BioNet with a seemingly limitless array of kaiju. He has a particular eye toward causing stagnation in the Earth Sphere, for reasons he keeps to himself.
- Akane Shinjo is comfortably holed up in Tsutsujidai, making kaiju and generally being universally beloved within her tiny little realm. She likes the Tarabaman series a lot.
- Sakiru Tonkawa and the volleyball club are dead, and Akane's homeroom teacher is alive; we'll work with any applicants for Gridman characters on a hook to get them into the conventional IC grid (heh) swiftly.
- SSSS.DYNAZENON has had some degree of integration planned, as it directly follows up from SSSS.GRIDMAN and Denkou Choujin, but will most likely only become appable during Phase 2 or 3.
- Original kaiju users, Compoids, and Repli-Compoids are encouraged! We are also open to humanized Computer World kaiju in the vein of Anosillus II as characters. Other content from the Gridman sub-series is a little trickier to proliferate out to OCs but we're open to pitches.
SSSS.DYNAZENON
- SSSS.DYNAZENON is treated as the "real world" of SSSS.GRIDMAN, as in its original design meetings implied by content in the GRIDMAN UNIVERSE Uchusen Mook, rather than as a GRIDMAN UNIVERSE world, as in GRIDMAN UNIVERSE. This has been done mostly because it is absurd for a fairly coherent television show to brake for an extremely meta, gives-you-numerous-reasons-to-doubt-its-canon-status film.
- The ancient Chinese empire from which Gauma and the Kaiju Eugenicists hail dates back 12,000 years rather than 5,000 years. As a result, Gauma and the Kaiju Eugenicists are acquainted with Mycenae, Great Jama, Protoculture, and Prehistoric Martian Super-Civilization things that took place on Earth (but not Nadesico's Martian ruins proper, or the details of the Prehistoric Martian Super-Civilization).
- The Fujiyokidai neighborhood is one of the hexagonal plates of Nouvelle Tokyo; its urban planning bears significant resemblance to Ogikubo in Tokyo proper, much like Tsutsujidai (which is, itself, based on the Fujiyokidai neighborhood).
GRIDMAN UNIVERSE
- Decisions about how to reconcile Denkou Choujin Gridman, SSSS.GRIDMAN, and SSSS.DYNAZENON were made before the release of GRIDMAN UNIVERSE. At this point, they will not be changed. This decision is irrevocable and permanent. GRIDMAN UNIVERSE content will be integrated at the discretion of players of affected PCs alone.
- Gridman is not the new god of the setting, nor is Akane Shinjo. Sorry!
- Content from known drafts of the film described in the Heroine Archive, Uchuusen Mook, and Studio Trigger Night interviews is welcomed and encouraged.
- Mad Origin, Gridman's Universe form (not Universe Fighter), and the kaiju derived therefrom, if they appear, will be tied to long-term plot elements related to Gundam Video Games, Getter Robo Series's Getter Robo Devolution, and Mazinger Series's Shin Mazinger ZERO vs. Great General of Darkness, rather than the sole focal element of the plot.
Integration Notes
General
- The Ultra Series Kaiju, broadly, are either present or nebulously about/in the wings. Many of the 'extremely big deal' King/Lord/Ultimate monsters of one show become part of a plot in another - this is great! In general, Kaiju are a normal part of life when one deals with giant robots and those who pilot them, and Ultraman provides an immense and quirky cast of large punchable faces.
- Ultraman Z's treatment of the Kaiju as a native part of Earth's ecosystem, and STORAGE's posture as a shield against monsters attacking humanity, is extremely helpful overall for establishing a clear, innocent reason for large robots: Giant, armored behemoths with laser eyes.
- The GAF has been folded into the Earth Federation; STORAGE answers to the Federation, the NERV cross-bloc infrastructure, and the Free Japanese chain of command, in roughly that order.
- Veteran Ultramen (and characters from their eras and universes, like Jugglus Juggler and Black Directive) have significant levels of theme knowledge that will be made available to an applicant. These elements touch on content from Banpresto Originals entries as well as themes currently open to post-hoc integration or which will open in later Phases.
- SSSS.GRIDMAN's Tsutsujidai is another realm from Earth, accessible via dimensional wobbliness around Japan or by characters with access to 'near dimensional' travel. Related characters can access the real world in turn through various means. Characters who originate from this space are Repli-Compoids, as in the show; details on what this means will be available to prospective applicants.
Phase 1 - New Generation Ultras
- Jugglus Juggler, as Shota Hebikura, and Celebro, as a whole bunch of people (currently Shinya Kaburagi), are supplying BioNet and Amalgam with access to Kaiju fusion items to start problems on purpose and to create threats. Juggler's goal is to help balance the overwhelming scales and scopes of the Earth Sphere and, simultaneously, spur new advanced weapon development. Celebro wants people to make over-weapons, which everyone is already doing, so it is a happy headcrab.
- STORAGE, as an arm of NERV, fills the role of general monster specialist support and defense teams of the Earth Sphere, and their arsenal is shared across NERV to serve as a crisis response team that does not have a limit like NERV's Evangelions (in theory: in practice they are just another team of 3, go figure).
- The arrival of Genegarg has happened, and with it the Ultra Medals from Z, which has kicked off the actual Ultra Warrior arrival. Ultraman Z is bonded with Haruki at start.
- Ultraman Zero and Ultraman Geed, and potentially selections of other New Generation heroes, are available for applications, though applicants would be expected to have a clear explanation for what brought the character to this universe's Earth and will keep them there for the foreseeable future. This could be a plot in its own right or could be the natural consequence of something else going on.
- Original characters using persistent Ultra Series elements other than being new Ultra Warriors, such as seijin, kaiju manipulators, etc. are encouraged! New Ultra Warriors will open up in Phase 2.